National Professional Qualifications

Accredited by the Department for Education (DfE), National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) are a nationally recognised suite of qualifications for teachers and school leaders at all levels; from those who want to develop expertise in high quality teaching practice, to those leading multiple schools across a trust or other group of schools.

Teachers and leaders employed in state funded schools and state funded organisations (including those that offer 16-19 places in England) will be able to access a fully funded NPQ, to support teachers and pupils following the disruption to learning faced as a result of COVID-19. 

Why do an NPQ?

In undertaking an NPQ you will:

• Gain a nationally recognised qualification
• Learn from a rich curriculum based on evidence-based practice
• Be able to transfer your learning as and when you change schools
• Complete your learning in a flexible way- both virtually and in small face to face groups

Our NPQs are designd to reduce the workload burden on teachers and school leaders, while still enabling you to develop and apply your knowledge, skills and understanding both to your current school, and to other contexts.

Delivered by DoWAT

On behalf of CEFEL and the Catholic Education Service, The Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust are offering NPQ Senior Leadership, NPQ Leading Teaching and NPQ Headship. 

How to Apply

Please use the this video walkthrough to assist you with your application process.

Step 1: DfE Registration 

Register for a national professional qualification (education.gov.uk)

This needs to be completed first. To do this, you will need your TRN number. You can check your 
TRN via the DfE website if you don’t know it.

Please ensure you select the correct NPQ (LT / SL / H). Selecting the wrong course will mean you have to 
start again. 

When prompted, you should select the following responses:

Once you have completed your DfE registration, the DfE will verify your eligibility for funding. Most of the time this is within a few hours, but sometimes it can take a few days. 

Step 2: Complete the CofE application form

You will receive an email shortly after you have completed the DfE registration (this can take a few days) that contains a link to the CofE application form.

Please fill out the personal details on the form. Select the correct route (NPQFlex LT, Cohort Feb 24 / NPQFlex SL, Cohort Feb 24 / NPQFlex H Spring 24). Select the region/course offering when prompted which will appear as NPQ Flex LT: DOWAT - Pinner (Spring 24) / NPQ Flex SL: DOWAT - Pinner (Spring 24) / Pinner. Proceed through the subsequent questions.

Application Statements

Please complete all mandatory responses, giving clear and detailed answersto the questions that assess your suitability for the course. Please ensure you watch the video for support or guidance. You will be required to answer three questions:

• Why have you chosen to apply for this qualification?
• What experience do you have that demonstrates your readiness to complete this qualification?
• Why have you chosen to complete this qualification with the CofE?

There is a 150 word limit on each question. On occasion, if responses do not provide the required information to assess your eligibility for the course, you will be contacted directly for more information.

Sponsor Endorsement

You are required to provide the name and contact details of a sponsor – this is often your headteacher (or Chair of Governors). Your sponsor is required to confirm that you are suitable for this course. It is imperative that your sponsor completes the endorsement as soon as possible to keep the process running smoothly.

Step 3: Review and offer

Once the sponsor has endorsed the application, this will be ready for review and marking by a member of the NPQFlex team. If your application is approved, a provisional offer will be issued to you. If any further information is required, you will be contacted directly before receiving a provisional offer. You will only receive a formal offer once the application process has closed (Feb 2024).

NPQ Funding

Teachers and leaders employed in state funded schools and state funded organisations including those that offer 16-19 places in England will be able to access a fully funded NPQ from Autumn 2021, to support teachers and pupils following the disruption to learning faced as a result of COVID-19.

Access to funding remains conditional on successful validation of participants’ registration information against Teaching Regulation Agency records, so you must ensure that the information supplied to your NPQ provider matches your teacher record. You can check and update your record via the Teaching Regulation Agency Teacher Self-Service Portal. 

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